Varsity mulls bringing out Kanakadasa’s works in English

Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University T. C. Shivashankara Murthy, third from right, Vice- Chancellor of Central University of Kerala Jancy James, second from left, and writer Ham. Pa. Nagarajiah, fourth from left, at a seminar, in Mangalore on Wednesday. Photo: H.S.Manjunath

Four epic poems of the saint poet will be published: Murthy

Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University T. C. Shivashankara Murthy said on Wednesday that the university was contemplating translating four major Kannada “kavyas” of the 16th century poet, saint and social reformer Kanakadasa into English.

Addressing a gathering at the inaugural session of a four-day international conference on ‘rethinking bhakthi’ at Mangalagangotri Mr. Murthy said that the four “kavyas’ (epic poems) were Mohana Tarangini, Nala Charitre, Ramadhanya Charite and Haribhakthisara.

Centre for Research on Kanakadasa and Kanakadasa Adhyayana Peetha at the university has organized the conference on the occasion of the decennial year of the peetha.

Mr. Murthy released a 1,200-page book titled “Nee Mayeyolago Ninnolu Mayeyo” published by the centre on the occasion. It contains 108 published articles on the saint poet. The articles deal with issues like caste and religion, besides throwing light on the poet’s life. It is the first in the five-volume series to be published by the centre portraying the life of Kanakadasa.

The Vice-Chancellor said the centre would publish the remaining four volumes, which would also contain the published articles analysing the life and works of the poet from different perspectives, one after the other. Kanakadasa’s works reflected music, spirituality and social concern, he said.

In her key note address Jancy James, Vice-Chancellor, Central University, Kasaragod, said that bhakthi was a synonym for Indian culture. The bhakthi movement emerged as a liberative force for common people when “access to the god through bhakthi was rested with the elite”. The movement gave an opportunity for common people to “have a direct access to the almighty”.

She said the bhakthi movement was also an attempt to redefine spirituality. It was also a language movement as it reduced dependency of people on Sanskrit and strengthened the vernacular languages. “It was a cultural movement,” she said.

Ms. James said that there was a need for taking up an in-depth study on the relation between dance and ‘bhakthi’.

Ms. James released a book “Kanakana Suttamutta, sankathanagala jijnase” on the occasion. It contains proceedings of national seminars organised by the centre on Kanakadasa.

Mr. Murthy launched the website kanakana kindi to be maintained by the university on the occasion.

Writer Ham. Pa. Nagarajiah inaugurated the conference.

'Come out of ivory towers'

Jancy James, Vice-Chancellor of the newly constituted Central University of Kerala at Kasaragod, said on Wednesday that academicians at universities should come out of the “ivory towers in which they are working” and should keep in touch with the common people in society.

The researches done by the academicians should help common people. The gap between academicians and common people should be reduced. Research should link the academicians with the “practitioners in society”, she said at the function in Mangalore University.